Igniter gas or oil engines.



Patented Dec. 8, I900.

-ATTORNEY A. T. OTTO.

IGNITEB FOR GAS 0R OIL ENGINES (Apphcahon filed May is 1899) WITNESSESUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

IGNITER FOR GAS OR OIL ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 664,360, dated December18, 1900.

Original application filed December 26, 1896, Serial No. 573,294.Divided and this application filed May 19, 1899. $erial No.

" 717,417. (No man.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALBERT T. OTTO, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of New York city, county of New York, State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Ignitersfor Gas or Oil Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This application is a division of my original application filed December26, 1896, Serial No. 573,294, and subsequently forfeited and renewedunder Serial No. 697,801.

The portion of my invention herein described and claimed relatesspecifically to the improved form of igniter for gas or oil engines.

The preferred construction embodying my invention is illustrated in theaccompanying sheet of drawings, in which- Figure l is a section of theengine-cylinder and connecting parts, with the diagram of the electricalconnections for the igniter; and Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail section ofthe contact maker and breaker.

Throughout the drawings like reference characters refer to like parts.

The frame A is of suitable size and shape, and to it is connected thecylinder 13, and the crank-shaft O is supported in suitable bearings Dupon the frame A, and the connecting-rod E extends to the piston F,where it is received between the lugs 3 and receives through it theconnecting-pin 4. This piston F is to be of any desired character exceptin the parts hereinafter named.

At one side of the cylinder 13 is a hollow projection G at the port oropening G, leading into the cylinder, and the valve-chests are connectedthereto. 4 Y

The cylinder-head K is bolted onto the flanged end of the cylinder, andit is provided with an annular deflector 5 in the form of acomparatively thin cylinder projecting from the head K into the cylinderand extending as far as the opening or port G in the projection G, andthere is a space between this deflector and the interior surface of thecylinder, so that the air and gas or vapor passing into the cylinderthrough the port G strikes against the deflector 5 and passes around thecylinder at the same time that it passes into the cylinder at the edgeor end of the deflector.

In almost all instances it is necessary to draw in the explosive gasesat one movement of the piston and compress the same by the movement ofthe piston in the other direction previous to igniting the gases, sothat the explosion takes place every other stroke. I therefore make useof a gear S upon the crankshaft driving the gear T upon a stud 9, andthis gear T is twice the size of the gear S, so as to revolve once foreach complete movement of the engine, and upon this gearT are cams U andV, preferably on opposite sides, the one for actuating theinduction-valve and the other the eduction-valve, and these cams areproperly shaped and timed to open these valves at the proper moment.

I prefer to provide a roller 11 upon slide 13 in the stationary guides Wfor the cam V to act upon the roller and move the slide. Similarapparatus coacts with the cam U, and the slides are connected with therespective valvestems, and the spring 15, intervening between thecross-pieces 16 at the ends of the slides and the cross-pieces 17adjacent to the respective valve-chests, acts to close the valvesrapidly as the cams pass out of contact with the respective rollers.

This engine is especially adapted to driving the wheels of a horselesscarriage or as a motor for light work or for driving the propeller in acomparatively small boat, and such engine is made with reference tolightness and compactness, and in order to ignite a charge I find itadvantageous to use an electric spark, and with this object in view Iprovide a central electrode X, passing through the cylinder-head andinsulated therefrom by porcelain cylinders or non-conducting supports18, through which the electrode passes, and which cylinders are firmlyconnected together by nuts 27 upon the central electrode, there beingwashers at the nuts and between the porcelain cylinders and thecylinder-head for making the parts gas-tight, and upon the piston thereis a stud 20, that passes adjacent to the electrode; but this stud beingeccentric to the piston is always in the proper position to theelectrode for a spark to be drawn between the electrode and the stud,and by adjusting the central electrode lengthwise the time at which theexplosion takes place can be varied, because the spark will pass fromone electrode to the other sooner or later in the endwise movement ofthe piston near the end of the stroke, and several sparks can passbetween the electrodes to insure the ignition of the gases or vapors.

Any desired source of electric energy can be connected to the centralinsulated electrode X and also to the cylinder of the engine. I,however, prefer to employ a battery 31, which is in the primary circuitof the inductorium 32. The secondary circuit of the inductorium isconnected with the central electrode and the engine-cylinder. Thebattery-circuit is closed and interrupted by the contact 21 upon thegear-wheel T coming into contact with an insulated plate 22 in thecircuit to the battery, and the vibrator at 33 pulsates thebattery-current and gives numerous sparks in the secondary in thecylinder.

A battery or source of electric energy is illustrated at 31 and a switchat 34 for closing or breaking the primary circuit.

The mode of operation of my invention is as follows: The contact-spring22 and cooperating projection 21 on the wheel T are so located that theywill make a contact just at or slightly before the time the piston hasreached the inner end of its stroke. This will set the pulsator intoaction, the primary circuit of the inductorium being completed from thebattery 31 through closed switch 34:, pulsator 33, and the primary coilof the inductorium 32 back to contact-spring 22 and through contactprojection 21 back to the battery. This will set up the usualhightension pulsatory current in the secondary of the inductorium 32,whose circuit will now be complete from the right-hand end of the coil,as shown in Fig. 1, through the electrode X, electrode 20, and the shortair-gap between said electrodes, through the engine piston and cylinder,and back to the left-hand end of the secondary by the fine-wireconnection shown in Fig. 1. This will of course produce a rapid seriesof sparks between the electrodes X and 20, which will insure theignition of the charge in the engine-cylinder. On the outward motion ofthe piston the contact projection 21 runs off the contact-spring 22,thereby opening the primary circuit, and theinductoriumceasestoact.Thusadouble control of the period of sparking action is produced, onethrough the adjustment of the contacts at 21 22 and the other by theadjustment of electrodes X and 20.

The advantages of the invention consist in the certainty of action,there being no possibility of short-circuiting by which the spark willbe eliminated, and in the accuracy obtainable through the doubleadjustment above described. Moreover, the creating of a spark betweentwo moving electrodes X and 20 causes the same to vary slightly inposition during the different periods of its existence and brings saidspark in contact with different portions of the charge.

It is evident, of course, that various changes could be made in thedetails of construction without departing from the spirit and scope ofmy invention. Other forms of inducto- "rium and connections might beemployed and other forms of contact-breakers, and different methods ofinsulation might be substituted, &c.; but all these I consider withinthe scope of my invention so long as the apparatus is arranged to createa powerful secondary induced-current spark between moving electrodeswithin the engine-cylinder.

I do not herein claim the form of deflector 5 and cooperating chamber orport, as the same is more specifically described and claimed in mypending application, originally filed December 26, 1896, Serial No.573,294, and re newed under Serial No. 697,801, of which thisapplication is a division.

Having therefore described my invention, what I claim as new, and desireto protect by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with the piston, cylinder, and its head, in agas-engine, of an elec trode passing through the center of the head andinsulated, andaprojection upon the piston arranged eccentricallythereof, and acting in connection with the insulated electrode indrawing the spark to explode the charge.

2. The combination with the piston, cylinder, and its head, in agas-engine, of an electrode passing through the center of the head andinsulated, and a projection upon the piston arranged eccentricallythereof, and acting in connection with the insulated electrode indrawing the spark to explode the charge, and means for adjusting theelectrode endwise.

3. The combination of the engine-cylinder and piston, an electrodemounted on the cylinder, a second electrode mounted on the piston, andan electric circuit of which said electrodes constitute the terminals,said electrodes being so disposed as to approach each other while thepiston is near the end of its inward stroke, but never to touch eachother.

4. The combination of the engine-cylinder and piston, an electrodemounted on the cylinder, a second electrode mounted on the piston, andan electric circuit of which said electrodes constitute the terminals,said electrodes being so disposed as to approach each other while thepiston is near the end of its inward stroke, but never to touch eachother, together with the induction-coil, of which said electric circuitconstitutes the secondary circuit.

5. The combination of the engine-cylinder and piston, an electrodemounted on the cylinder, a second electrode mounted on the piston, andan electric circuit of which said eleccuit of said coil is closed andbroken by the trodes constitute the terminals, said elecmoving parts ofthe engine. 10 trodes being so disposed as to approach each Signed by meat New York city, New York, other while the piston is near the end ofits this 15th day of May, 1899.

5 inward stroke, butnever to touch each other, ALBERT T. OTTO.

together with the inducti0n-coi1, of which \Vitnesses: said electriccircuit constitutes the secondary LILIAN FOSTER, circuit, and meanswhereby the primary cir- ERNEST V. PLATT.

